Eiry Potter  The Stone Forged from Death
by EvilTenten
Summary: Not dead just terrible writer's block. To date 194 attempts to write the next chapter all failed. I'm placing it on hold or maybe adoption if I get a good enough argument. I don't want to abandon it.
1. Chapter 1

**Eiry Potter**

**The Stone Forged from Death**

_**For this chapter and all those that follow, I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY! I do however own the purchased works of all the books, ebooks, audio books (Jim Dale's version) and movies. I, however, am currently struggling to open a Pottermore account (stupid beta site).**_

_**Also, Eiry will have a stutter when she's scared, ONLY when she's scared.**_

"_**This, bold + italic, will be used for Parseltongue." **_

Chapter 1 – Sunlight

Our story doesn't start at the beginning, although that would probably have been wise. I however believe that it would be a waste of chapter to write it. That is why our story starts ten years after the beginning.

Not much has changed on Privet Drive. The sun still rose over the neatly trimmed gardens and hedges, lighting up the Brass numbers. We go into the house of number four, where the dust free perches and mantle pieces show the only signs on how much time had passed. Ten years ago the pictures had a laughable adaptation of a beach-ball wearing different colored bonnets. The _beach-ball_ was, of course, Dudley Dursley. The pictures now had the resemblance of a price winning pig, sans the tail, in a wig, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother, and the various birthday gifts he got over the years.

The house didn't however show any signs of another child living in the house. In fact if you didn't live within the house you wouldn't know it either. Every night like clockwork, at 9pm, a small, thin, naked figure would creep out of the closet under the stairs and head to the kitchen. There it would eat the leftovers, which was meager at best, before starting on cleaning every surface of the house. At 6am, the mail would slide through the slot in the door and the figure would place it on the kitchen table and make breakfast before retreating to the cupboard for another day.

The figure belonged to a girl, a few weeks younger than Dudley. Her name is Eiry Potter, she was the Dursley's little secret. It was not always like this. Eiry was a part of the family, in the most nominal sense of the word. She went to Dudley's school and had top grades, which did not bode well with Dudley. When it got too much Dudley and his gang had chased Eiry around the grounds. The chase ended when Eiry mysteriously ended up on the roof. Her current education went up to the second grade.

Today, June 23rd, was Dudley's birthday. Normally the day was spent like every other inside her cupboard. It was however a great shock when Aunt Petunia knocked on her door.

"Y-yes," Eiry asked in a scared voice.

"Good, you're still awake. I left some clothes in front of the door, get dressed and come to the kitchen." It sounded like Aunt Petunia was sucking on a lemon as she said this.

Eiry was weary, the last time she was with the family, she was stripped of her humanity, pride and clothes. She was then made to stay out of sight and clean the house thoroughly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays she done the gardens outside.

The clothes were at least eight times too big for Eiry's body, but then you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Unsure Eiry stepped into the kitchen, standing to the side of the door she made her presence known.

"I-I'm h-here, A-aunt P-Petunia." Eiry said in barely more then a whisper.

"Don't get too comfortable, the only reason you're out here is because Dudley let it slip you're in the house." Aunt Petunia spit out. "You're going to the zoo with us, smile, laugh and stay out of trouble. Then when we get home it is back to the routine."

"Y-yes, A-aunt P-Petunia," Eiry gulped down, "T-thank y-you, A-aunt P-Petunia."

A little less then an hour later Eiry was sitting between Dudley and Pierce on her first time out in the sunlight since she was nine. As they drove Uncle Vernon complained, he loved to complain, Eiry, the weather, Eiry, people at work and Eiry were just a few of his favorite subjects. Today however it was motorcycles.

"Roaring along, the hoodlums," He said, his walrus-like moustache shaking. If Eiry didn't have the fear beaten into her she might've mentioned the dream she had about a flying motorcycle.

At the zoo Eiry couldn't believe her luck. She wasn't made to stay in the car, like she feared. The Dursleys bought her an ice cream, a cheap lemon pop, but the lady didn't even need to ask her what she wanted. Pierce gave a quizzing look, but Aunt Petunia answered before the question was asked.

"She likes lemon pops, don't you?" although the words were sweet it had a hidden threat to it.

They ate at the zoo's restaurant, a full meal and dessert to boot. Eiry should perhaps have known that the day was too perfect to last. After lunch they went to the reptile house. Dudley and Pierce wanted to see the most venomous and largest snakes the zoo had to offer. Eiry settled for a spot close to the door, resting her head against the glass of the tank for warmth.

She took refuge in reading the sign stating the type of snake and its original habitat. This cage read: Boa Constrictor, Brazil. Just a little under that a plate was nailed into the wall: This specimen was bred at the zoo.

The Dursleys and Pierce made their way over to the tank. Trying not to cause a scene Eiry peered into the tank. The snake inside was easily enough the largest in the reptile house, it could easily wrap its body twice around The Dursley's car. Only it didn't seem like it was in the mood as it lay completely still.

"Make it move," Dudley whined to which Uncle Vernon rapped his knuckles sharply against the glass. The snake didn't move. "Do it again!" Dudley ordered, but the snake was yet to move. "This is boring," Dudley stated wobbling of to another tank. The rest of the group following.

When she was once again alone at the tank she whispered to the snake, apologizing for her family's behavior. The snake turned its head towards Eiry intent to rise to meet her at eye level, but taking in her appearance it thought better.

"_**It isss not a bother," **_Eiry heard a male voice in a Brazilian lisping accent say. _**"I get sssuch behavior often."**_

"_**You can underssstand me?"**_ Eiry asked not noticing the change in her own voice or language.

"_**I mossst certainly can, ssseing asss you ssspeak in the language of sssnakesss." **_The snake paused, _**"The mugglesss are abusssing you. I would have attempted to ussse you to essscape, but my needsss doesss not matter anymore, I ssshall attempt to get word out to othersss of thisss finding, ssstay ssstrong for now, Amiga." **_The snake lay back down as The Dursleys and Pierce came back.

"Come, we are going home." Uncle Vernon said stiffly before turning waddling out the door. Eiry gave the snake one last look before turning and following. No one noticed that the glass had vanished, apart from the snake, whom would later that night escape to find Eiry a rescuer.

The drive home was pretty much uneventful. And later when Pierce finally left for home, the doors leading into the hall were closed. Dudley was so focused on his TV show he didn't notice at all. Eiry was made to take of the clothes she wore and retreat into the cupboard. Aunt Petunia told her to rest well and be ready to start her chores again the next day.

As The Dursleys got ready for another day of work, school and spying on the neighbors, they were unaware of the Tabby-cat watching them from across the street. Uncle Vernon was the first to notice the cat as it arrived when he pulled out of the driveway. He could've sworn he saw it before.

"Come on Dudley time for school," Aunt Petunia said as she opened the door. The she could've sworn the cat glared at her before she dismissed it.

"Why isn't Eiry in school with me anymore?" Dudley asked as he closed the car door.

The cat stared intently at Number Four Privet Drive. Its ears trained on the faintest sounds in the house. There, barely louder than the wind, was the sound of water splashing on a body. The cat gave the equivalent of a smirk, at least the last occupant tried to keep clean. Minutes later something less than a shadow appeared at each window opening the curtains. The cat didn't see anymore signs of the shadow nor heard any other noises from the house until Aunt Petunia returned.

The pattern repeated later that after noon, almost to the last letter. But instead of a shower the cat heard one of the toilets flush. When all The Dursleys all were back in the house the bustle of family time was clear, although it was missing a girl child's voice.

At 8h30pm the house went quiet, and the lights went out. The cat was ready to leave when it heard the feint creak inside the house around 9pm. The cat could hear the sounds of dishes being cleaned a mere five minutes later, followed by numerous other cleaning sounds all through the night. At 5am the front door opened revealing an unclothed girl putting the empty milk bottles out. The mailman arrived at around 6am and placed the mail in the mail slot, half in half out. A minute later it was dragged inside and sounds of cooking was heard. At 6h30am an alarm sounded just after the sound of a door clicking into place. The cat leapt of the wall and walked onto the corner, disappearing with a pop a second later.

That evening a middle aged woman could be seen walking from the exact spot the cat disappeared. Her black hair was tied in a tight bun on her head and she wore an emerald green cloak. She walked with a strict pace up to Number Four and knocked, considerably loud for her size and build on the door.

"What ever you're selling we're not interested." Mr. Dursley said as he answered the door.

"Oh no, Dursley," the woman spoke in a Scottish accent, "You aren't getting me out of here that easily." She shoved a piece of paper into his hand.

"W-what are you g-getting at?" Mr. Dursley went paler with every word he read.

"The charms set to protect your family, has been revoked as of this morning. The girl, Eiry Potter, will accompany me tonight. You heard about the snake's escape from the zoo last night?" Mr. Dursley nodded. "It slithered straight to the nearest Wizarding family and was brought to us. We extracted some of its memories and found out about your treatment of the girl. It wasn't until I personally investigated it that it was decided to take the girl."

With a wave of her hand Mr. Dursley was sent flying backwards and the woman strode into the house. She knocked on the closet-under-the-stairs' door and whispered to the girl inside to remain calm, before she waved her hand over the door. A second later Eiry walked out a confused look on her face.

"What happened and how'd I get these clothes on?" Eiry asked her stutter gone.

"We are leaving, Miss Potter. You're so called family has treated you ill for the last time, take my hand, if you would." Eiry hesitated, but seeing her uncle turn scarlet she shakily took the offered hand.

The sensation she felt was the same feeling she had when she appeared on the roof two years ago. They landed on a small patch of grass close to a welcoming house, Eiry gasp in excitement.

"Welcome, Miss Potter, to Fearnoch Forest." The woman in the cloak smiled. "I am quite surprised you didn't get sick when we disapperated. Although it might be because of your empty belly." Eiry's stomach growled at the mention of food.

"T-thank you for s-saving me m-ma'am, although I don't know who you are." Eiry said in a small voice.

"True, there was no time for introductions. My name is Minerva McGonagall. I am a teacher at the school you'll be attending this coming school year." Prof. McGonagall smiled gesturing Eiry towards the house. "Please do come in, I have prepared a meal before I came to fetch you."

After a nice meal and a warm bath, Eiry walked around the house scanning every surface, every crook every cranny. To state the obvious, Eiry was impressed. Every surface was cleaning itself as it got dirtied.

"A simple charm on the house for the few of us who spend most of our time away from home, it may not be as, efficient as say, doing it yourself or having a House Elf, but it gets the job done and gives you peace of mind." McGonagall said with a smile.

"I didn't mean to stare like that, everything is so, so different. It feels, I don't know, natural." Eiry said her stutter gone completely.

"Up the stairs to the right is your room, I'm just going to get the acceptance letters started before turning in myself." McGonagall smiled as Eiry all but rushed upstairs, she gave a small chuckle as she heard the content sigh escaping Eiry's lips.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning Eiry felt a warm sensation across her face. As she opened her eyes she could tell it was the sun, having felt it only two days previously. Not truly wanting to leave the warmth of the soft bed, Eiry begrudgingly got up and made her way down stairs. After visiting the bathroom she took a seat in the sitting room. The corner of her eye caught the movement of something.

Walking curiously over to what it was Eiry noticed a quill busy writing on parchment. Picking up one of the already finished works she adjusted it until she could read it. She knew her eyes weren't the best there was but when she was in school she managed. The only trouble was that the smaller the writing the harder it was.

"Curiosity killed the cat, Miss Potter." McGonagall said with a laugh in her voice. "You would receive your own once it has been written."

"S-sorry, I was just…" Eiry stopped as she turned around. The voice came from where she saw a tabby cat when she came down, only now it was McGonagall.

"Quite understandable, I do however need to ask where your glasses are. One with good eyes does not fiddle with parchment like that."

"My eyes are just fine," Eiry countered before adding under her breath, "It's the letters that get out of focus."

"Oh, I didn't mean to sound like you need glasses all the time Miss Potter, only for reading." McGonagall made her way towards Eiry and raised a wand to her eyes. "Yes, you'd definitely need reading glasses, not too strong ones just to help with the focus."

"Ah here we go Miss Potter," McGonagall caught an envelope. Before handing it over and tapping Eiry's nose with her wand giving her a temporary set of glasses.

_Ms. E. Potter_

_Room on the Right_

_Cabin near the Lake_

_Fearnoch Forest_

Eiry read, a slight smile on her face, she turned it over and unsealed the envelope taking out the letter.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Ms. Potter._

_ We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _

_Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. _

_We await your owl by no later than 31 July. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall _

_Deputy Headmistress_

"Owl ma'am?" Eiry asked a bit confused.

"It is how we deliver mail in the Wizarding world, for now you don't need to concern yourself about it. All you need to do is tell me your answer." Eiry nodded.

"I'm excited to be accepted into the school, Deputy Headmistress McGonagall." Eiry said with a smile.

"Prof. McGonagall would suffice, Miss Potter."

"Okay then, but could you call me Eiry, outside of classes. The Dursleys never used my name and I kinda forgot how it sounds coming from someone else."

"Very well then, outside of class you may call me Minerva, or if that's too informal, Miss McGonagall. Now I'll suggest a nice breakfast before we head of to Daigon Alley."

The breakfast was as filling as the food the previous night. Eiry went to was the dishes but they were already washing themselves so she went to wash herself instead. By the time she was ready to leave she went outside in search of McGonagall. She found the older woman tying the parchments envelopes onto owls. She stood back as she saw McGonagall taking out a map and pointing her wand on key areas. As she did that the last owls left.

"Just sending out the letters, are you ready to go?" McGonagall asked. Eiry nodded.

McGonagall held out her hand and Eiry went to take it. A second later they arrived at a bright market district, in front of a magnificent white building. McGonagall told Eiry that the building was called Gringotts, the bank, and that it was run by goblins. Inside the bank McGonagall walked towards a free goblin and placed a key on the desk.

"Miss Potter wishes to make a withdrawal. This key opens vault 687, her family's vault." McGonagall said sternly stopping any questions from the goblin and Eiry.

"My family has a vault? Why didn't they come for me?" Eiry asked receding into herself.

"Well Eiry, the vault belonged to your family for generations. Unfortunately, you are the last." McGonagall bowed her head.

The ride down to the vault was a long one. It seemed to Eiry that they went down at least sixty kilometers (around 38 miles) underground. That didn't even include the countless kilometers they spend on the straights. While they were riding Eiry thought what she would find in her vault. Her best guess was a single stack of bronze knuts. She remembered McGonagall explaining the different currency units.

They reached her vault and the goblin, Criphook, led them to the door. When the green smoke died down Eiry gasped. There was a stack at least ten times her height and fifty times her width in bronze, twice that in silver and quadruple that in gold.

"Remember Eiry, we're going to convert two hundred gold galleons to buy you some muggle clothes." McGonagall said smiling at the girl.

"It's five to one, isn't it? Five galleons to one pound." Eiry asked/stated trying to go over the little maths she knew.

"The other way around, you'll have a thousand pounds." McGonagall helped the girl out.

Once outside in the sunlight, or what passed for it, Eiry sat on the stairs of Gringotts waiting for McGonagall, who went to exchange the galleons for pounds. Quickly getting bored Eiry read her supply list, not that she had to.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Uniform_

_First-year students will require: _

_Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) _

_Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags _

_Set Books_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following: _

_ The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk _

_ A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot _

_ Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling _

_ A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch _

_ One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore _

_ Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger _

_ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander _

_ The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble _

_Other Equipment_

_ 1 wand _

_ 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_ 1 set glass or crystal phials _

_ 1 telescope _

_ 1 set brass scales _

_Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad _

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS _

"Eiry Potter, if I see you read like that again I will pull on your ear." McGonagall said strictly, "Since we won't spend money on an eye-exam. I will teach you the untraceable reading glasses spell I used earlier. Heaven forbid the ministry find out about my little charm."

McGonagall led Eiry through the square towards the robe shop. McGonagall sized Eiry up and went to get the grey uniform all students wear under the robes. Eiry was taken to a slightly hidden part of the shop to get measured for her robes. She didn't really see the other pieces of the uniform which was probably a good thing, because as soon as McGonagall came back into few Eiry raised a brow to the weird looking grey thing.

"What is that Prof. McGonagall?" Eiry asked wary.

"A skirt Miss Potter, all girls are required to wear them for the first three years."

Eiry was in an all boy's school when she still went there, not only was she the only girl, she was the only female on the school grounds, not surprising she didn't know what a skirt was.

"I supposed that you wouldn't know about feminine clothes. That was why I suggested we buy muggle clothing. I'm going to teach you how to properly behave like a girl, or at least pass as one."

The next stop on their shopping spree was the set books, Eiry noticed that McGonagall was going by the letter, word for word. McGonagall smiled at Eiry once she got the last of the course books.

"Would you like any other books? I know sometimes at night most people enjoy some reading" she said with a smile.

"Well, Transfiguration, Charms and Potions sound fascinating." Eiry stated. "Could I perhaps have more books on them?"

"All three of them is most difficult, I'd suggest choosing one for private study per year."

"Transfiguration," Eiry said immediately without thinking.

McGonagall smiled and walked towards the back of the shop, once she returned she was carrying a book at least 30cm (12 inches) thick and long. The title read: _Most advanced Transfiguration – From Teacups to Animagus and Substitute Metamorphic Changes._

The next stop differed from the list only slightly, instead of going to the wand shop they went to the apothecary. There they bought the rest of the supplies and all Eiry's potion ingredients. It was like a wizard's flea-market in there, but besides the smell Eiry enjoyed the shop.

"Now, all that is left is to get your wand. Ollivander's is the most popular of the seven wand shops, not to mention the only one this side of Britain. I do advise caution though. Mr. Ollivander has a very unnerving stare. Getting a wand is very personal, that is why I'll go get us some ice-cream." McGonagall said as she walked Eiry to the shop.

Inside the small shop Eiry waited for the owner to arrive. The shop was filled to the brim with every make and model of wand Eiry could imagine. There was a box on the counter that read: _Cherry and Kitsune tail_, Eiry wondered what a kitsune was. Her musing was cut short when a very old man walked from the back of the shop. Even with McGonagall's warning Eiry wasn't prepared. She stepped back as the old man came closer. That was until her back was against the window and her hand on the wand inside. She only registered the cry of "No". Eiry felt warmness flowing through her and into the wand, which emitted red and gold streaming from it as if in victory.

"How very curious," Mr. Ollivander said as he saw the magic. "When I made that wand, I didn't think it would choose anyone, Holly and Phoenix feather, very curious indeed."

"S-sorry s-sir, I d-don't u-understand?" Eiry said picking up the wand.

"No need to be scared, Miss Potter. It just so happens that the phoenix that gave a feather for this wand gave one other, only one. It's curious that you are destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar."

"Scar?" Eiry questioned, raking her mind for information, not having access to a mirror does that then she remembered, "You mean this one?" Eiry lifted her bangs. "I completely forgot about it, how much is the wand?"

"Seven galleons Miss Potter," Mr. Ollivander said wrapping up the box. "Ah Minerva, just finishing up, you should tell Dumbledore that I just sold the other one, he'll know what I mean."

They had lunch at The Leaky Cauldron, Eiry was quiet for the longest time before her mind finally got too full and she asked her question.

"Who gave me this scar?"

"We do not speak his name, Eiry. Just know that he was, and most probably still is, the vilest of the dark wizards that existed. Once he went out to kill no one survived. The night your parents died was no exception." She paused for a second gathering her nerves. "His name is Voldemort, but we don't say his name at all. Somehow, You-know-who, found out where you stayed and went there to kill you all. That much every one knows, what boggles the mind though is that he wasn't able to kill you and lost his powers."

"Voldemort, sorry, You-know-who couldn't kill me? A baby, but he killed fully trained wizards and witches?" McGonagall nodded.

"It truly is a mystery. I have some pictures of them in my office at Hogwarts, but you might hear this phrase often. You look like your mother, but you got your father's hair, longer yes, but still his." McGonagall eyed Eiry's hair that was almost down to the ground when she stood. "When was the last time you had a haircut?"

"Aunt Petunia never took me to get a haircut, or combed my hair." Eiry said in less then a whisper.

The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping in Muggle-London, McGonagall forbid Eiry from buying any pants, as she was determent to teach Eiry to at least be able to sit in them without giving anyone a free show. McGonagall also treated Eiry to her first haircut. Eiry found that she liked the soothing sensation of shampooing her hair. They went to King's Cross station at around 6pm where McGonagall made her way unto platforms 9/10. After buying tickets to the first station beyond the Scottish border.

"On September 1st every year this wall opens an invincible barrier," McGonagall mentioned. Eiry noticed that they are exactly three quarters down the platform.

"But if Hogwarts is in Scotland why do I need to know this?" Eiry questioned.

"It is because all students are required to ride the Hogwarts Express to school each year. That and I can't, unfortunately, look after you each year." McGonagall looked sad as she said this.

"Will I be placed into foster care, with a Wizarding family?"

"What?" McGonagall asked clearly surprised.

"Foster care, it is when a family takes in a child and gets paid for it. Don't you have something like that?"

"We do not, or else a family… you said that foster care pays a family to look after a child?" McGonagall asked clearly thinking it over.

"I had a friend in foster care when I still went to school. He said that his foster parents received payment for themselves and that the government paid the school fees for him." Eiry answered with a strained memory.

"Did your friend mention what said payment was?" Eiry shook her head.

"I'll speak to the head master about this foster care. If he agrees with it, Oh look the train is coming."

XXXXXXXXXXX

McGonagall didn't mention foster care again on their journey to Scotland. She took this time to teach Eiry the charm to conjure the reading glasses. She had no doubt that Eiry would start reading as soon as they got back.

On July 31st, a snowy white owl landed on the window sill outside Eiry's window. A letter was addressed to her in a messy scrawl. She felt the warm sensation of her magic forming the glasses, something that almost happened automatically ever since she learned the spell, she read the letter:

_ Dear Eiry_

_ I was the one who got you after your parent's death._

_If only I'd have known what they were like, those ruddy muggles._

_I got you more than just the cake, this snowy owl is yours too._

_She'd be the right side of useful delivering your letters._

_ Happy Birthday Eiry_

_ Rubeus Hagrid_

_ Keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts_

Eiry looked at the calendar McGonagall seemed to have all around the house. She took note of the date, July 31st. She made a note to remember this date as her birthday. She gave the snowy owl an examining look before saying:

"You look like a Hedwig, do you like that name girl?" the owl hooted in response.

Eiry got dressed in her latest enemy, the skirt, grabbed the cake and went downstairs. The glasses fading back into air. McGonagall was already downstairs busy talking to a man with very long hair and beard.

"Someone called Rubeus send me a cake and owl for my birthday." Eiry said before she registered the presence of the man in the room.

"Ah yes, Hagrid did say he'll be sending you a cake, chocolate if I'm not mistaken." The man said his eyes smiling.

"Sorry, but who are you sir?" Eiry asked politely, unconsciously pulling the skirt down to cover herself, even if it wasn't necessary.

"Prof. Albus Dumbledore." The man bowed.

"Prof. Dumbledore has brought word that a family has been selected to take care of you in this foster care you mentioned. You'll be leaving with him when I leave for Hogwarts after breakfast. Oh and I hope you enjoy your presents." McGonagall motioned towards the pile of gifts on the table.

The breakfast was a filled with idle chatter and nothings before Dumbledore gone over the details of the foster care. It turned out that Dumbledore trusted only one family with the task of guarding Eiry, the Weasleys. When the conversation went into what Eiry would consider fair payment she thought deeply.

"Well from what I saw in Daigon Alley, the Wizarding world can be quite expensive. What does the Weasleys pay normally?" McGonagall smiled at Eiry.

"Spoken like a banker," Dumbledore laughed. "Mr. Weasley is the only one working and I dare to say it isn't much, one thousand galleons, three thousand sickles and 6000 knuts monthly."

"How much is the Ministry willing to pay?" Eiry asked.

"Since you brought it into our world, and have the money, the Ministry thought that you should set the bar for it. The orphans after you will receive the same courtesy."

"Okay, if it's up to me, six thousand galleons monthly, and the foster child's school fees and supplies." Eiry said after thinking it over. "That's about what Uncle Vernon made a month, after bills."

"Six thousand galleons?" McGonagall asked shocked. "Considering the family I would agree but the Ministry…"

"Would only pay half of that," Dumbledore finished the thought.

After breakfast Eiry timidly opened her gifts. The first one was from McGonagall, a book called: _Faeries of the British Isles – How to deal with these creatures._ Eiry flipped the book over and read the single line on the back cover: _This book covers more creatures then your school books._

Eiry smiled, McGonagall walked into her room a few nights ago and saw her reading her course book and asked if she'd like to know more about them. The second gift was from Dumbledore, it was a cloak that felt more like liquid. He said it belonged to her father.

"It is not for rule breaking, mind you," Dumbledore laughed when Eiry's body disappeared under the cloak.

The last two gifts were from the family Eiry would live with, The Weasleys, one package contained a sweater with the letter E on the front and the other was a box of _Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans,_ there was a letter with it. The letter was from Molly Weasley it read:

_ Dear Eiry_

_ Arthur told me that the Ministry is trying something new in regards to orphans that exhibit magical traits, called foster care. It is apparently a muggle initiative, and like all things muggle related, my husband jumped aboard. It saddens me that we will get paid for something we do for love of it._

_Happy Birthday_

_Molly Weasley_

Eiry smiled as she set the letter aside, McGonagall asked Eiry to go and pack while she finished up downstairs. Dumbledore told her they'd leave for the Ministry and she'll go with Arthur Weasley when he left for home. Eiry had only her school books and muggle clothing to pack. The rest mostly never left the small trunk they bought in Muggle-London. McGonagall placed a textbook extension charm on it to save Eiry the hassle of logging a massive thing with her everywhere. After packing Eiry took a bit of parchment and wrote a letter to Hagrid.

_ Dear Hagrid_

_ Thank you for the owl, I named her Hedwig. I'm going to The Weasleys until term starts and wondered if you could take care of her for just until term starts, it'll give me an excuse to visit you, other than personally thanking you for the cake._

_Thank you again_

_Eiry Potter_

After sending Hedwig of to Hagrid, Eiry went downstairs with her trunk. Dumbledore led her outside and offered his hand.

"Minerva said you are had done side-apparition before." Eiry nodded, "Good so you'll keep your… lunch." Dumbledore said the first part at Fearnoch Forest and the last word at the Ministry of Magic's Visitor's entrance, a phone booth located in a back alley in London.

"That was cruel, sir," Eiry giggled as she let go of the old man's arm.

Dumbledore ushered her into the booth and, after checking for muggle money in the returns and dropped two knuts into the coin slot. The floor began to drop with them until Eiry could see a beautiful marble hall way. Her mind was boggled as she took her surroundings in. If she wasn't clenching Dumbledore's she would've been left behind.

They made their way to the top floor. The man sitting behind the desk was a short, portly man with rumpled grey hair and an anxious expression. He was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pin-striped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak and pointed purple boots. On his desk was a lime-green bowler, Eiry suspected he carried it around instead of wearing it on his head.

"Cornelius, this is Miss Eiry Potter, the one who suggested the foster care system." Dumbledore nodded towards Eiry. "And Eiry, this is the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge."

"Nice to meet you sir." Eiry said politely.

"And you, Miss Potter. Albus, did you come to an acceptable amount to pay the children's guardians, if Miss Potter's evaluation period works out." Fudge said looking at Dumbledore.

"Ah yes, after Miss Potter here, we came up with three thousand galleons a month and the foster child's school fees and supplies."

"So how much is Miss Potter going to provide her foster family?"

"Double that and she's paying for her own supplies, her school fees were taken care of when she was born."

"Ah well then everything's in order, what is your vault number Miss Potter, so that we can request the payment to be made into The Weasleys' vault."

"Vault 687 sir." Eiry answered getting a flight-or-fight feeling from Fudge.

"Very good, you can take her to Arthur's office now. He'll be going home earlier today, for Eiry's benefit of course."


	2. Chapter 2

**Eiry Potter**

**The Stone Forged from Death**

_**For this chapter and all those that follow, I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY! I do however own the purchased works of all the books, ebooks, audio books (Jim Dale's version) and movies. I, however, am currently struggling to open a Pottermore account (stupid beta site).**_

_**Also, Eiry will have a stutter when she's scared, ONLY when she's scared.**_

"_**This, bold + italic, will be used for Parseltongue."**_

Chapter 2 – The Burrow and beyond

Molly Weasley woke up especially early on this morning, just the previous night her husband told her that their application has been approved and that Eiry Potter would arrive with him the next day.

Arthur Weasley usually got up and apparated long before his family, Molly probably missed him by minutes. She went down and checked on the sweater she had started the previous night, it was done. With the sweater she took down a box of _Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans_, a good welcome gift. She wrapped the parcels up and sent them towards Scotland.

After re-entering the house, Molly started on the breakfast and cleaning the house. At around 4am, an hour after she woke, she heard a creak heading down the stairs. The source was a young girl still in her sleepwear.

"You're up early mom, did something happen?" the girl asked rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Oh Ginny dear, I just couldn't sleep so I decided to start with a spring-clean." Molly answered not really caring if Ginny didn't believe her. "When Ron wakes up I want him to help you clean your room."

Ginny said nothing more as she went upstairs to get dressed for the day. When she got back downstairs her older, twin brothers, was busy dusting the fireplace, playing most likely.

To tell the truth, no one in the Weasley household had much fun that day. Relieve came in the form of Arthur Weasley, who arrived at dinner-time. The balding ginger man brought answers.

"Albus didn't show up today, Molly, and the Minister hasn't decided on the amount yet." he said with a smile on his face.

"Are you getting a raise dad?" Percy asked over the bun in his hands.

"I kept it quiet like you asked dear," Molly said also smiling

"You are –"

"I think he is brother mine." The twins smirked.

"Not exactly boys, even if we will receive more money it isn't because of my work, but something else."

"What?" all the children asked in unison.

"The Minister and Albus Dumbledore had decided to test a new initiative called foster care. Out of thirteen families that applied ours was chosen." Molly said.

"Foster care came from the muggles where a family takes in a child and receives payment to look after said child. The Minister and Albus haven't decided on what the payment would be and I heard Albus went to several of these families to find out the average." Arthur said as if it was quoted.

"The reason we cleaned the house today was because the child, a girl will arrive tomorrow with your father." Molly finished.

Molly and Arthur stayed silent when the chatter erupted around the table. And when the kids finally asked who the mystery girl was they just smiled and told them to wait and see. That night Ginny and Ron spent a fair amount of time rearranging Ginny's room to accommodate the new girl.

"Wouldn't it be wicked if the girl turned out to be Eiry Potter?" Ginny asked folding her delicates.

"Don't be daft Ginny, why would she come here? She's famous in case you don't remember." Ron spat back.

"I know, I was just thinking it would be cool if it was her." Ron didn't answer so Ginny pressed on, "I wonder what she looks like…"

"The new girl or Eiry Potter?" Ron asked dreading the answer as he made the bed the twins carried in.

"Both," Ginny said with a sigh gathering her nightclothes.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Arthur Weasley was not having a good day. He was called in at a ghastly hour to take care of some business. Not really seeing the point he stayed in his office filling out the reports mumbling about stupid wizards cursing toilets to regurgitate what ever was flushed down.

It was around 7am when a letter arrived on his desk. As he read it his face became a mess of excitement, shock and anxiety. The letter contained the amount his family would be paid for taking care of Eiry Potter. He was excited because they finally came up with an amount, shocked at the large amount that it was and anxious on what Molly would say if she saw it. The Weasley's where a proud family after all.

Minutes later Arthur Weasley saw the silver of Dumbledore's hair heading towards his office. He knew that, for his foolish pride, he had to at least, try to persuade Dumbledore to bring the amount down.

"Dumbledore, are you sure that this is right? It seems awfully stiff just to take care of a little girl, even with who she is." Arthur said swinging the letter around as he gestured.

"Arthur I have no doubt it seems steep, but in my enquiries I found that this is the average price one gets paid to take in a foster child. I have come across higher, but not lower." Eiry knew Dumbledore was lying but seeing the prideful quilt in the balding man's eyes she didn't correct him.

"But Albus, it is more than six month's worth…" Arthur started

"No one said you should spend it all Arthur. You could save up some and take Molly on the honeymoon you missed out on, or maybe when one of your many children gets married." Dumbledore said finality in his voice.

"This is young Miss Eiry Potter." Dumbledore ushered Eiry out from behind him.

"A pleasure to meet you Eiry," Arthur said with a smile. "Got everything?"

"Likewise sir, and yes, Prof. McGonagall took me to Daigon Alley when she sent out the letters." Eiry said with a blush.

Dumbledore left and Arthur made Eiry a seat in his filing cabinet. Arthur took note that Eiry was even smaller then his daughter, maybe even a six year old, not that was taking it too far. She seemed around seven or eight to be fair. He, and so many others, read the report given by McGonagall on Eiry's living conditions. Arthur concluded that living in a cupboard with meager amounts of food and very little sunlight would put a stopper to your growth.

Eiry laughed at Arthur's jokes. She smiled at the people who came around and thanked him for something. Someone from the Department of Magical Games and sport came by and offered him tickets to the world cup final four years in advance, as a thank you for a rather nasty piece of magic Arthur had to restore. Arthur asked Eiry to keep quiet about it for the time being, until he actually had the tickets in hand.

At around noon, after submitting his reports on the week's raids, Arthur led Eiry back out of the marble corridors and towards the green flames Eiry noticed on her arrival. Arthur took several knuts out of his pocket, counted fifty of and placed it on a counter next to the flames. The woman sitting behind the counter weighed some powder on a set of scales and gave Arthur the bag.

Arthur placed a hand on Eiry's shoulder as he stepped into the flames, Eiry following cautiously. She vaguely registered the cry of "The Burrow" before she felt the spinning sensation wash over her, seconds later they landed in a shabby but inviting living room's fireplace. The first person Eiry saw when her head stopped spinning was a red-haired girl reading a book on an armchair, her legs curled to her side.

"You're home early dad, mums in the kitchen scolding Fred and George. They blew up themselves again." The girl said with a smile.

"Then I should go safe them then," Arthur laughed before stepping out of the fireplace revealing the girl behind him.

"That's her then? The one we're taking in?" Ginny asked excited taking the girl's appearance in.

"Ah yes, but introductions will have to wait, go call Ron and Percy." Arthur said leading the girl into the kitchen.

Ginny arrived less then a minute later her brothers not long after that. Once they were all seated Arthur cleared his throat.

"Weasleys, I would like to introduce the latest addition to our family, Eiry Potter." He said the silence that followed stretching well over a minute until…

"You're joking right dad?" It was one of the twins.

"Yeah, Eiry is supposed to be around Ron's age, not seven." The other added. Eiry narrowed her eyes, she wasn't some freak to be gawked at and questioned.

The accidental magic began to build in the small house in the form of a breeze. The breeze blew Eiry's hair back exposing the scar on her forehead. A hand rested on Eiry's shoulder dissipating the magical build up. Eiry looked up to see Mr. Weasley.

"Wicked!" the twins exclaimed together.

"We didn't offer our home for the girl just so she could be gawked at or made fun of. Weasleys are better than that. Fred, George apologize now." Mrs. Weasley added.

The lunch that followed had tears streaming to Eiry's eyes. She had never tasted anything as delicious as Mrs. Weasley's cooking. Prof. McGonagall's came a close second, but there was something different about Mrs. Weasley's. The twins got scolded again for dumping their vegetables onto Eiry. Mrs. Weasley didn't buy their excuse of "But she needs to grow more then we do" for one second.

After lunch Mrs. Weasley asked Ginny to take Eiry up to their room to get settled. Her words of "No time like the present" made Eiry smile. It was just like she always imagined a real family to be.

"Ron was peculiarly quiet. He's normally a chatter bug." Ginny said once she closed her door.

"I didn't think he could speak, not with the twins there." Eiry said before both girls giggled.

"That's a rather small bag don't you think?" Ginny said eyeing the small trunk.

"Only on the outside, Prof. McGonagall placed a text book extension charm on it so that I can carry it around," Eiry said, "It doesn't look it but this bag contains all my school books; all my equipment and potion supplies; my robes and uniform and the muggle clothing."

As Eiry opened the trunk Ginny gasped, it had six divisions. One held the school books, the list that Ginny spied on Ron's acceptance letter. Another held the equipment and supplies. Another held the clothing and robes, that Eiry was busy unpacking onto the bed. Yet another held other types of books, including stories that had nothing to do with school or magic, the last was empty save for a cloak.

"I'm going to store my gifts in that one." Eiry said taking out the last neatly folded article of muggle clothing.

"You do like skirts don't you?" Ginny asked eyeing the assortment.

"I hate them," Eiry adjusted the hem of the skirt she was wearing. "Prof. McGonagall charmed these to pull on my ears when I do something unladylike. It's rather irritating, but for the first few years at Hogwarts girls can't wear pants during school hours so I need to learn to sit in them."

"But didn't the muggles teach you that stuff?" Ginny asked casually.

"No, I spent my time with them inside a cupboard under the stairs completely naked." There was no warmth in Eiry's voice as she said this.

The mood returned after a short time once Ginny got over her shock and helped Eiry pack some of the clothes in the cupboard they would share. They made a list of clothes that Eiry should take to Hogwarts, that isn't school related. Eiry overlooked that small insight.

The rest of the stay at The Burrow was rather pleasant for Eiry. Even though she was excused from doing chores she chipped in wherever she could, mostly helping Ginny. It turned out that Ron was upset with Ginny because of something she said about "the foster kid being Eiry Potter".

Not all went smoothly though. Mrs. Weasley didn't want to accept the money for taking care of Eiry, but a long conversation behind closed doors with Mr. Weasley she begrudgingly agreed to let it go. They went to Daigon Alley about a week before term would start and bought Ron his own wand.

They arrived at King's Cross station a little behind schedule, Eiry wasn't sure if she would've been able to make it if she was on her own without McGonagall's explanation on how to get onto the platform. Ginny took a seat on Eiry's trunk and shouted "Mush" causing Eiry to laugh onto Platform 9¾.

After saying their goodbyes, Eiry and Ron made it into a compartment near the back. They continued their argument on Quidditch. After discovering the sport and reading _Quidditch through the Ages_ Eiry picked her team, _The Holyhead Harpies_. Eiry chose the team because they were an all female team since they were formed and they didn't do too badly in the leagues. Ron is religious for the _Chudley Cannons_.

When noon came round, besides their sandwiches, Eiry bought a bit of everything. Ron protested but Eiry told him she wanted to try the variety, sure she had _Chocolate Frogs_ and _Bertie Bott's_ but she had yet to try _Pumpkin Pasties_ and so many others.

They were starting to dare each other to eat the _potentially problematic beans_ when the door opened and a round faced boy popped in asking if they saw his toad, Eiry apologized kindly but said they'll keep a look out. Several minutes later, just after Eiry swallowed _sour milk_ flavored bean the door swung open again.

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost his." A girl with bushy brown hair and large front teeth asked.

"Not since he came in earlier." Eiry heard the sour tone in her voice. "Sorry, Ron and I were taking dares on the unsafe beans, I just had sour milk."

"No matter, I'm Hermione by the way, Hermione Granger." Hermione said with a smile.

"I'm Eiry Potter and this lump is kinda my brother in all but blood, Ron Weasley."

"I heard that," Ron whispered in a defeated tone.

"You were supposed to," Eiry singed back.

"You're odd you know that? Not at all how I imagined you from what I read in the books." Hermione seemed surprised.

"I read all about me in _Modern Magical History_, _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_. Personally I don't know how they came up with some of their theories." Eiry said.

"What do you mean?" Hermione said sitting down opposite Eiry.

"Well in _Modern Magical History_, they said I shielded myself with an unbreakable shield forcing Voldemort, sorry, You-know-who's spell to rebound." Hermione nodded.

"In _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Art,_ they said I held my mother's wand and fought him on equal grounds. In _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_ they have it almost right, in the sense that they didn't have a theory merely said that I stopped him somehow."

"Yes I read all that," Hermione said in a sort of gossip-y voice.

"The truth is I was just a baby, I didn't even have accidental magic to protect me. The killing curse hit me on the forehead leaving this scar. Hurry back Ron we will arrive soon." Eiry smiled.

"I'm going to go change into robes." Ron whispered.

The compartment door closed and Ron was heading down the isle to get dressed. Eiry took that opportunity to do the same. Hermione had the courtesy to turn around not once stopping their idle chatter. Hermione did however notice the welts of healed wounds on Eiry's back but thought better then to ask about them. A croak was heard outside the door just before a knock.

"I think I found Neville's toad." Ron said, "Can I come in?"

Not long after Ron joined the talks (he was forced into it) the door slid open revealing a white haired boy with two lugs that might've been part gargoyle.

"Talk on the train is that Eiry Potter is in this cabin, which one of you is it?" the boy had a snobbish attitude about him that Eiry could only pin to the white haired man she and Dumbledore passed in the Ministry.

"Those damn talks again, honestly they should mind their business." Eiry said avoiding any names as far as possible.

"I agree, that must be the, what, sixteenth time in the last hour. It's a wonder we got dressed in our robes, but mind you that other boy got a good eyeful of knickers." Hermione added catching on.

"Don't you mean fistful?" Ron asked finally getting the picture, "I think you should go now."

"I don't so, not until I know which one is Eiry Potter." The boy said. "I'm Draco Malfoy," Draco said to everyone in the room, "Eiry Potter you will soon find out that some wizard families are better then others, I can help you sort out the wrong kind from the right."

"If Eiry shows up we'll let her know, although I think she can tell wrong from right for herself." Eiry said picking up a liquorish wand.

Draco and his lackeys ran out and down the hall. You see a liquorish wand has the exact same appearance and texture of a real wand, the only real difference was that you could eat a liquorish wand.

As the train reduced speed, Hermione excused herself and took Neville's toad heading up to her cabin. Ron and Eiry filled their pockets with the last of the sweets and took the last of their uniform, their wands, out of their trunks.

"Firs' years, come now don' be shy firs' years this way!" a giant of a man holding a lamp called out.

"How's Hedwig Hagrid?" Eiry asked just feeling like she knew this giant from somewhere.

"Hedwig's fine Eiry, she's been missin' you somethin' terrible." The giant's eyes curled into a smile. "Firs' years follow me."

The group of eleven year olds followed the giant man towards the shore, Eiry only vaguely registered it as the Black Lake, or Loch Shiel as it was known in to the muggles. Eiry smiled at herself, it seems that Hogwarts was hidden from the prying eyes of muggles by various charms and spells.

"No mo' than four a boat." Hagrid boomed getting into the first boat.

Eiry, Ron, Hermione and Neville took one of the boats closest to Hagrid. Once all the students were seated Hagrid flicked the torch on his boat and they all started moving. The ride was long but the scenery was spectacular, even at night time.

Hagrid warned the kids to mind their heads as the boats started swerving into a cave with ivy covering the entrance. Eiry was sure Hagrid was mostly referring to the taller first years as the ivy went over her head without a problem.

As the boats drew to a stop Hagrid got out and called back for the first years to follow him. They went up a winding stair case into the castle. At the top a stern looking woman in emerald robes were waiting for them, Prof. McGonagall.

"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." McGonagall pulled the door wide.

The Entrance Hall was so big you could have fitted the whole of the Dursley's house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Eiry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right – the rest of the school must already be here – but Professor McGonagall showed the first-years into a small empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. The house with the most points at the end of the year will win the house cup."

Eiry nodded as McGonagall told them to smarten up before she returns. McGonagall told Eiry all about the sorting ceremony. She shared the information, that a hat sorts you into your house, with Ron and Ginny, but Ron still chose to believe Fred.

McGonagall returned within a minute, but not before the ghosts of the castle made their presence known. The first years made their way through the hall and to the high table where the sorting hat already waited. It sung its start of term song (awfully off key). When the song died down McGonagall came forth with a roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abbott, Hannah!" A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause –

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

'HUFFLEPUFF!' shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but

"Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Eiry could see the twins catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent' then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Eiry's imagination, after all she'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked an unpleasant lot.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Eiry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide.

"Finnegan, Seamus", the sandy-haired boy next to Eiry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!" Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. Eiry held her thumbs tightly.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned clearly not a fan of the girl.

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted "GRYFFINDOR", Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to

'MacDougal, Morag'

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed,

"SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now.

"Moon"

"Nott"

"Parkinson"

A pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then

"Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last –

'Potter, Eiry!" the whispers followed the small girl as she went to the stool.

The last thing she saw before the hat swallowed her head was the heads craning to see just who Eiry Potter was.

"Hmm," a small voice in her head sounded, "Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting ... So where shall I put you?"

"I have friends in Gryffindor, that is at least somewhere to start, and the Slytherins look like a nasty lot, I think Bulstrode might be another uncle Vernon." Eiry replied.

"Yes I did see that in her mind, a bully by nature. Hufflepuff might be suitable but no, no that won't do. Ravenclaw perhaps, you do have the will to learn, no your mind is too full of mischief. Better be –

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted the last word.

Eiry took off the hat and walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table. S he hardly noticed that she was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy got up and shook her hand vigorously, while the twins yelled, 'We got Potter! We got Potter!' Eiry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff she'd seen earlier. The ghost patted her arm, giving Eiry the sudden, horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.

She could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest her sat Hagrid, who caught her eye and gave her the thumbs-up. Eiry grinned back. And there, in the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole Hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. There was a professor that looked very peculiar in a large purple turban.

And now there were only three people left to be sorted.

"Turpin, Lisa" became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted,

"GRYFFINDOR!" Eiry clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to her.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy pompously across Eiry as

"Zabini, Blaise" was made a Slytherin.

Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Eiry looked down at her empty gold plate. She had only just realized how hungry she was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had got to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Eiry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he – a bit mad?" she asked Percy uncertainly.

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Eiry?"

When Eiry turned back to face the table she was stunned, never had she seen such a vast array of food available. A glance at Ron and Hermione told her she wasn't alone in her train of thought.

Eiry took some of everything, mostly barely a bite, just that she could taste all and pick a favorite. She soon realized that the potato dishes were simply to die for. She had mashed; baked; cooked and fried. She also squeezed in some more meat when she went for seconds. She made was just having an interesting chat with their Ghost, Sir Nicholas, when the food on her plate suddenly vanished, she was just able to save a fried wedge to which the ghost laughed.

As the desserts appeared Eiry smiled shyly at her little blunder, she probably should have guessed something like this would happen but her mind wasn't thinking straight. She heaped some treacle tart into her plate and happily dug in enjoying the taste.

Halfway through a rather delicious bite her scar suddenly burned. She could almost feel a wire connected to it, one she followed back to the High Table and the professor with the turban. Ignoring her instinct to mistrust this man her eye fell on the person next to him, a greasy black haired man with cold dark eyes.

"Who's that teacher next two seats down from Prof. McGonagall?" Eiry asked Percy.

"Oh that's the potions teacher, Prof. Snape and the one he's talking to is the Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, Prof. Quirrell. Snape's been after Quirrell's job for years now." Percy said in true textbook fashion.

Soon enough dessert was a thing of the past too. Prof. Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat.

"Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that, this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

"Is he serious?" Eiry asked Percy again.

"Must be, although he usually gives us a reason why, or at least he does the prefects." Percy said in a half sad voice.

After they sang the school's anthem, the Gryffindor first-years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. Eiry's legs were like lead, but only because she was so tired and full of food. She was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, until they reached a portrait of a very portly lady in a pink silk dress.

"Password," the lady said an air of royalty about her.

"_Caput Draconis,_" Percy said and the portrait swung open. The Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs, Eiry eyed the one closest to the fireplace and called dibs.

"The boys' dormitories are up the stairs and to the right, the girls' the same on the left. You'll find that your stuff has already been brought up and at the foot of the beds."

Eiry didn't let the grass grow beneath her feet and she was up the left staircase and down the hall in mere seconds. She found the first-year dorm near the end of the hall. Eiry got out the long pajamas from her trunk and found a small door leading to the wash room across the hall. If it was one thing the McGonagall and the Weasleys taught her, it was the importance of hygiene.

After a quick shower she went back to the room and found her three roommates, well two of the three, swapping beauty tips. Eiry turned to Hermione and notice her getting ready her stuff ready too.

"I can't speak for all the showers but the one in the far corner is to die for." Eiry said putting her stuff away.

"That's a rather small suitcase isn't it?" Hermione asked curiously.

"It's charmed with a textbook extension charm to fit all my stuff and some more in." Eiry smiled.

As Hermione left to go wash up, Eiry fell into a deep slumber. Her dreams were filled with Ginny, that odd Luna girl she met during the little time she spent at The Burrow and of Hermione. Eiry may not have understood the dream, or why none of them were wearing clothes, but she enjoyed every minute of it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Eiry Potter**

**The Stone Forged from Death**

_**For this chapter and all those that follow, I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY! I do however own the purchased works of all the books, ebooks, audio books (Jim Dale's version) and movies. I, however, am currently struggling to open a Pottermore account (stupid beta site).**_

_**Also, Eiry will have a stutter when she's scared, ONLY when she's scared.**_

"_**This, bold + italic, will be used for Parseltongue."**_

Chapter 3 – Lessons are a Drag

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other and Eiry was sure the coats of armor could walk.

That was what it felt like on during the first week at school, Eiry was also getting fairly annoyed at the whispers that followed her around, most of which were either on how small she was or about her alleged ways of triumph over Voldemort. Ron had adopted his brotherly side and tried to shield Eiry from the prying eyes, Hermione not far behind.

Hermione and Ron didn't get along at all, Ron always said Hermione was too bossy and Hermione said Ron was too lax. The only time they almost got along was while shielding Eiry. Eiry really didn't like it, Ron was her _adoptive_ brother and they got along just fine. Hermione on the other hand was so much different from Lavender and Pavarti that they got along just fine in the dorm.

Getting to class was bad enough without getting lost or running into a ghost, although Nick always tried to help the Gryffindor student whenever he could. And then there was the classes themselves. It was more then just waving a wand and saying some words. Eiry knew this but she couldn't fathom how much more there were.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learnt how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and found out what they were used for.

Easily the most boring lesson was History of Magic, which was the only class taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff-room fire and got up next morning to teach and leaving his body behind him, Eiry still believed that no-one else wanted the job. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates and got Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.

Prof. Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. He started class by taking register, when he got to Eiry's name he toppled over with an excited squeak.

Then was came the class Eiry was most interested in, transfiguration. Prof. McGonagall was different from the other teachers and Eiry noticed very different from the woman she met earlier that summer.

"Transfiguration might be some of the most difficult magic you will learn at this school." McGonagall said in barely more then a whisper. "Anyone messing around in my class will not be allowed to return. You have been warned."

McGonagall then turned her desk into a pig and back again. The children were impressed at the display but quickly deflated when McGonagall told them it'll be a while before they would be able to do that. Eiry's mind drifted to the book in my trunk, _Most Advanced Transfiguration – From Teacups to Animagus and Substitute Metamorphic Changes,_ she skimmed through it and only as she took notes did she realize what McGonagall meant when she said one per year.

At the end of class only Eiry and Hermione made headway in transfiguring the match into a needle. Eiry's was the exact shape and form of a needle but still made of wood, Hermione's was pointed and metal but still the size of the match. McGonagall rewarded them with a rare smile.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was _Defense Against the Dark Arts_, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnegan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.

Friday started out to be a great day. For once Eiry wasn't completely lost on her way to the Great Hall. They also had double potions that morning and the afternoon off. As per usual the mail arrived that morning by owl. Eiry didn't expect any mail yet since she has yet to write to Ginny. So she was greatly surprised that Hedwig flew down with a letter in her beak, it read:

_Dear Eiry_

_Now I knows you'd be wondering why I'd be writing to you, the truth is I'm asking meself that same question. Anyways come down to my hut this afternoon for a spot of tea, or not. Let us know with Hedwig._

_Hagrid_

Eiry scribbled a note on the same parchment: _I'd love that,_ and sending Hedwig off. While the students were still entering Eiry finished her breakfast and walked up to the High Table were McGonagall also started getting up.

"Prof. McGonagall," Eiry asked unsure.

"Yes Miss Potter," McGonagall answered politely.

"I was wondering if I could use your classroom, on the afternoons that I'm off, to do my private transfiguration studies?"

"I can not allow you to use my class, Miss Potter. But I will ask the headmaster if you could use an open classroom. I'll have an answer for you by next week." McGonagall gave a half-smile.

Eiry had a feeling that Prof. Snape didn't like her ever since she followed the _wire_ back to him at the start of term banquet. It turned out she wasn't too far off with that assessment. Snape began class by taking register like most others did, he paused with a sneer when he reached Eiry's name.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began after putting the register away. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Prof. McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses ... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Eiry smiled as she was secretly looking forward to this class, Snape obviously mistook it for ignorance.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood," Eiry whispered to herself, "That makes the Draught of Living Death, a powerful sleeping potion, sir."

"Let's try another. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Snape was clearly taken aback.

"I think you'll find it in the stomach of a goat?" Eiry was a bit uncertain about this one.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"I don't know what monkshood is yet sir, so I can't answer that one sir." Eiry said dropping her head. She thought that _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ were only used in Herbology and thus only started reading it, two pages mind you, the previous night.

"Well two out of three isn't too bad, but you failed to mention the purpose of a bezoar, one point from Gryffindor." Snape said a smirk on his face. "Monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" he snapped at the class.

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindor students as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

Eiry and Hermione was sitting in front of the duo and Snape seemed to notice it right away. After telling Seamus to take Neville to the hospital wing he rounded on Eiry and Hermione.

"You – Potter – why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." Snape said completely forgoing logic.

"Sir," Eiry hissed through gritted teeth. "If I turned around I would've left our potion. I don't have eyes at the back of my head you know!" then as an afterthought, "Sir."

"Detention Monday night, Potter." Snape said with a triumphant smirk. He finally got what he was aiming for the whole morning.

At around three, Eiry started to get ready to go to Hagrid's, she has just written a letter to Ginny telling her about the first week of term and was planning on sending Hedwig to The Burrow after meeting with Hagrid. As she exited the common room she bumped into Hermione who was clutching a few books to her chest.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked barely able to contain the curiosity.

"Down to Hagrid's, he invited me to tea. And then I'm going to owl this to Ginny." Eiry took out the letter from her skirt pocket.

"Can I come? A spot of tea sounds like the most normal thing in this entire castle. I love magic don't get me wrong but as a muggle-born it is a bit overwhelming." Hermione gestured to the books she was carrying.

"You're picking up more books than what's necessary." Eiry said as they went down to the east wing. Hagrid's hut was just beyond them on the edge of the forbidden forest.

"What do you mean?" Hermione was defensive.

"When I was saved by Prof. McGonagall and taken to get my books and stuff I wanted to get a copy of every book in _Flourish and Blotts_." Eiry started, "But Prof. McGonagall said I should choose ONE per year for self study. I picked transfiguration."

"That's actually a good idea, but there's so much to learn." Hermione defended. It wasn't until they reached Hagrid's hut and Eiry promised to include Hermione in her self study that Hermione agreed to cut down on studying but not reading.

When Eiry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying,

"Back, Fang – back."

Hagrid's big hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang." He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling. A copper kettle was boiling on the open fire and in a corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Hermione and started licking her ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

"This is Hermione," Eiry said introducing her friend, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you face to face."

Hagrid placed a large teapot on the flame and a plate of rock cakes on the table. He asked the girls about their week and what subjects they liked. What they didn't like and what they were planning to do after Hogwarts. A few cups of tea down and still trying to bite down on the rock cakes, 6 o'clock rolled by quite too fast.

As Hagrid waved them of he assured her that Snape and Filch had their reasons for doing what they did. He didn't tell them why though. Eiry asked Hagrid if he was finished with the news paper. He gave it with a smile.

Back in the common room Eiry unfolded the news paper and read the front page article.

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST _

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown. _

_Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day. _

"_But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes-goblin this afternoon._

"Now that is odd," Eiry said to Hermione and Ron who was waiting for them in the common room. "It happened on my birthday, I overheard Prof. Dumbledore mention the break-in, and that vault isn't far from the Potter vault. I wonder what was in it."

"No idea," said Ron.

"I could probably…" Eiry paused, "I forgot to owl my letter to Ginny."

Eiry speeded out of the dorm excusing herself as she ran passed other kids down to the owlery. Eiry arrived at the owlery out of breath. She scanned the rows and rows of owls until she saw a flock of white amongst them, the only problem was that Hedwig was at the very top. Eiry sighed as she started to climb the stairs.

At the top Eiry met a girl who was struggling to get an owl to trust her. It seemed that, like people, owls were picky. The girl, to Eiry's best guess was a second year student, maybe third year. She was of Asian decent, like Su Li from Eiry's year.

"I guess they're a bit picky," Eiry smiled at the girl, "Lucky I got my own for my birthday." Eiry called for Hedwig. "The Burrow girl, this is for Ginny."

"My parents are allergic to feathers, I think they sense that." her accent was a heavy Scottish much like Prof. McGonagall's.

"I'm Eiry," Eiry said holding out a hand. The girl took it rather reluctantly.

"I kinda noticed," she said with a slight blush, "Every one up in the castle are always pointing you out, my name is Cho Chang."

"Nice to meet you, would you like me to help you get an owl?" Eiry said feeling her cheeks warm up.

"Yes please," Cho answered gratefully.

The next few minutes was spent with Eiry surveying the different owls, she asked Cho where the letter was going, how much it weighed and so forth. In the end Eiry chose a rather young eagle-owl, a link on its foot said it was a school owl called Gandel. After about a minute of constant praise and whispers Gandel swooped down and allowed Cho to tie the letter to his foot.

"I think you won't have any trouble with Gandel, sending the letters I mean." Eiry blushed as Cho embraced her in a hug.

Eiry was in a trance of sorts as she walked up to the common room, she didn't even bother getting mad when she heard another whisper on her small stature. She gave a gasp of sorts when she was picked up by the elbows and dragged in the opposite direction she was going.

"Common room's this way cutie," came a voice Eiry knew too well.

"She does seem out of it doesn't she," came the other. It was the twins.

"And she's terribly flushed," said Fred.

"Mum's not going to like it that her impromptu daughter's been snogging some bloke," agreed George.

"I've just been to the owlery you daft gits." Eiry defended. "I went down with a bit of a run. Where are you taking me? We just passed the corridor to the common room."

"Oh well you see," Fred began,

"To buy our silence," George continued,

"We decided to," Fred again

"Enlist your services to," George said and both smiled

"Secure us a Hogwarts toilet seat from this bathroom right here." They finished together setting Eiry down in front of the girls' lavatory.

Eiry sighed, she really had no way to argue with the twins as of yet. All the pranks they pulled were confessed to shortly after it was committed. Their grades, from what she heard weren't the best, but it was far from bad so that was also a loss. No, they had nothing on them to cavern as blackmail.

"You just need a toilet seat?" Eiry sighed again, "Be back in a few."

After giving the twins the toilet seat and bidding them: _goodbye_, Eiry walked up the last flight of stairs. She gave the portrait of the fat lady the password and entered the common room. Eiry went up to fetch some books and came down to sit next to Hermione.

"What are me working on?" Eiry said casually organizing her books according to the timetable.

"The potion essay on the cure for boils we got earlier, I finished the other assignments already." Hermione said still writing.

Eiry drew her potions book closer and started working on it to. About a quarter hour later Eiry heard a gasp from across the table and to her left. She looked up and saw the numerous faces staring at her.

"What?" Eiry said a tad annoyed. "Can't a girl study in peace?"

"Where did you get _that_ book?" Ron asked. He was pointing at Eiry's copy of _Most Advanced Transfiguration._ "No one under 17 can buy that book."

"It was a gift," Eiry rolled her eyes, filing the information away for later use.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning there was a drone of students over at the notice board, Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday – and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together. Eiry groaned. There were too many people in that house that Eiry disliked. Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy instantly popped into her head.

One thing that irritated Eiry most was that Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first-years never getting in the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories which always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnegan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang-glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared his dormitory, about football. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly.

Neville was never allowed on a broom before and Hermione was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd got out of a library book called _Quidditch through the Ages_. Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the post. Eiry felt mutual about Hermione, she knew her friend well enough to know she'll try and get everything from a book first.

Hedwig dropped a letter for Eiry, she only vaguely heard Neville telling them about the _Remembrall_ he got from his grandmother. The letter contained a reply from McGonagall giving Eiry permission to practice in a classroom on the sixth floor, including a map to get there.

"What's this?" Eiry was snapped from her letter by the voice of Malfoy.

Before a fight could break out between the Gryffindor boys and Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle McGonagall approached the table.

"What's going on here?" she asked in a louder then usual voice.

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor," said Neville.

"Just looking," Malfoy said dropping the ball and walking away with Crabbe and Goyle.

That afternoon at around 15h30, the Gryffindor students made their way down the grounds. It was a clear, breezy day and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns towards a smooth lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the Forbidden Forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Eiry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left. The teacher, Madam Hooch, had short, grey hair and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Everyone stand to the left of your brooms, hold out your right hand and say '_Up_' with authority." She said as she fastened her gloves.

Eiry eyed the broom next to her with caution. It was very old and the twigs stood out at odd angles. Taking a deep breath she said "Up!" with gusto and the broom sprang into her hand leaving a slight sting to it. Eiry looked around and noticed she was the first one with a broom in hand and that the other brooms were resisting. Hermione and Neville's brooms were the last to rise.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows, correcting their grips. Eiry noticed that Ron was delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet and then come straight back down by leaning forwards slightly. On my whistle, three; two…"

At that moment Neville's broom shot up into the air clumsily. An air of panic raised around him, probably of fear of being left on the ground combined with his reluctance to fly.

"Get back boy," Madam Hooch demanded.

Only the broom seemed to sense its rider didn't want to be there and it retaliated. It shot up climbing higher and higher, it was at around twenty-five feet that Neville lost his grip and nerves and fell to the ground.

"Poor boy's got a broken wrist," Madam Hooch said as she examined Neville. "Come on let's get you to the Hospital Wing.

"And to the rest of you: If I see one broom in the air by the time I come back you will find yourselves out of Hogwarts faster than you could say 'Quidditch', understand?"

No sooner did they leave when the Slytherin House broke into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Malfoy snickered and picked up something from the ground. "Maybe if he gave this a squeeze he would've remembered to fall on his fat arse."

"Shut up Malfoy," strangely it was Pavarti Patil who said it first.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, "Never thought you'd like crybabies Pavarti."

"Give that here Malfoy," Eiry said through grit teeth.

"I don't think I will," said Malfoy laxly mounting his broom. "I think I'll leave this somewhere for Longbottom to find, like the roof."

Adrenalin soared threw Eiry and the next thing she knew she was on a broom darting towards Malfoy, she vaguely registered that Hermione tried to stop her. It was a rush like nothing she ever felt before.

"Give it here Malfoy or I'll knock you off your broom and we'll see if your boyfriends can catch you." Eiry said still on her adrenalin high.

"O-oh yeah," Malfoy only then seemed to realize his state of vulnerability, "Catch Potter!" he shouted throwing Neville's Remembrall towards the castle walls.

Eiry didn't know how it happened, but she was speeding towards the invincible ball at top speeds, barely two feet from one of the windows Eiry caught the ball and dove down to avoid the wall. Three feet from the ground Eiry straightened her broom level with the ground and somehow slowed enough to dismount safely. Eiry had no time to celebrate as she stomped her way towards Malfoy, her fists clenched in anger it was only when she pulled back to hit him when she was stopped by McGonagall's voice.

"EIRY POTTER," McGonagall had a neutral expression, "Never in all my years at Hogwarts… You might have broken your neck,"

"It wasn't her fault,"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil"

"But Malfoy"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to her. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Eiry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking her to Dumbledore. She thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps she could be Hagrid's assistant.

Finally in the Charms Corridor and Prof. Flitwick's class McGonagall sighed in relieve.

"May I borrow Wood for a moment professor?" McGonagall asked.

Eiry heard the word and cowered into herself and broke down into tears. Wood normally meant beatings, the Dursleys made sure to instill that into Eiry. It didn't come as a shock that Eiry stumbled several feet back and sunk into a corner when the door opened wider.

"Miss Potter this is," McGonagall turned to face Eiry and found her sunken into herself, "Oh my dear girl, did you think… We would never do that, Eiry. This is Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, and this Oliver is your new seeker."

McGonagall couldn't believe her little slip, she told Wood that she would answer his questions later and took Eiry by the shoulders and led her away. Prof. McGonagall took Eiry to her office and started to cook the kettle for tea. After handing the cup, with an added calming draught, she started to talk about the reason Eiry was chosen.

"The last good seeker the Gryffindor team had," she began in a calming voice, "was Charlie Weasley. I believe you'll meet him soon enough. What I saw you do today, I don't believe Charlie would ever even hope to do. You did a thirty foot drop at high speed, followed by a suicide turn on a substandard broom. Not only that but you caught an invincible object around the size of a gobstone."

"I-is t-that a g-good t-thing?" Eiry managed to squeak out after a few sips of tea.

"Eiry that is a wonderful thing. That allows you to be the youngest seeker in a century. Your own father was a seeker but even he wouldn't have been able to do what you did."

"Y-you're j-just s-saying that." Eiry tried to laugh.

McGonagall kept Eiry in her office for the rest of the afternoon going over the old photos and reports on the various teams that wore the Gryffindor red-and-gold. She kept talking about the various matches she attended as a young girl and woman and the various matches she had seen while head of Gryffindor. She even expressed her general disliking of the Slytherin team who won the last seven years since Charlie left. It was only at around 17h00, when Eiry stopped stuttering, that McGonagall dismissed her.

They walked down to the Great Hall together in idle, yet a bit formal, chatter. Eiry told Ron and Hermione all about what happened after she left and that McGonagall wanted to keep it hushed until the first match was played.

"You're kidding," Ron said his steak-and-kidney pie hovered forgotten in his hands almost against his mouth. "First years never get to play. You must be the youngest house player…"

"…in a century, yes," Eiry said smiling, "She says that with me playing we stand an actual chance this year. To tell the truth I was a bit scared and thought that I'd get punished."

"You ought to have, to be honest." Hermione said before adding, "But it makes sense in a weird sort of way. There is real danger every time a match I played, so it's a kind of punishment."

"What do you mean?" Ron resumed eating.

"Well for starters every time you play you are on a broom at least fifty feet from the ground, you could fall. Then there are the, oh what was it again, Bludgers. They zoom around trying to knock players of their brooms. The Quaffle is a big ball that can knock you on the head and disorient you enough to fall." Hermione listed the disadvantages of mostly any sport not just Quidditch.

Friday went by pretty fast and after lunch Eiry made her way to the dormitories to change into something more comfortable, a pair of slacks and a t-shirt, she had enough of skirts and the slacks she got via owl-post on Monday with a letter saying she earned a break. She came across Hermione in the common room and told her to get changed for the private study lessons.

Just under thirty minutes later Eiry and Hermione were in the classroom on the sixth floor. The room was mostly barred from tables instead there were comfortable armchairs in one corner. Prof. McGonagall was waiting in one corner working on marking what appeared to be essays.

"Ah, Miss Potter, I see you brought Miss Granger along," she nodded toward Hermione. "You will find that the room has been stocked with numerous objects that would be considered useful while using transfiguration. I took the liberty of gathering some theoretical books that explain the spells you'll attempt in the book I bought you over the summer. I would suggest going over the theory first before attempting the spells."

After thanking McGonagall Eiry and Hermione went to work on the theory books, after reading the first chapter in _Most Advanced Transfiguration_. The first hour they spent reading the theories and taking notes in the second they attempted the spells. By the end of two hours they were at least knowledgeable enough to make headway on the spells and could cast the easier ones without trouble.

In the end the second week didn't go too badly, in her letter to Ginny, Eiry wrote about the second week of lessons and about her and Hermione's extra class of private study. She even told Ginny about her inclusion in the Quidditch team and in a bolt gesture told Ginny about the dreams she had, dreams that included Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Cho and herself playing on a bed, Eiry however left out the state of dress, or rather undress, they were in.


	4. Not A Chapter

This is not a chapter.

I've been trying over and over and over again but I just can't write the next chapter.

I'm just placing it on hold from my side, but if anyone can give me a good argument I am willing to give the story up for adoption.

You can submit these arguments via PM, Review or Email

Sincere apologies

Evil Tenten


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